Dump-door-operating mechanism.



v F. SEABERG. DUMP DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 12, 1908. I

Patented Dec.28, 1909.

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FREDERICK SEABERG,

OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB T NATIONAL DUMP CAR COMPANY, ACORPORATION OF MAINE.

DUMP-DOOR-OPERATING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 28, 1909.

Application filed March 12, 1908. Serial No. 420,650.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK SEABERG, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Dumping-Door-OperatingMechanism, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a new and improved mechanismfor controlling and operating the dumping doors of dump cars.

A particular object of my invention is to provide mechanism to be usedin connection with a reciprocating or creeping shaft by which to holdthe shaft in any intermediate position and especially to hold it lockedwhen it is in a position corresponding to a closure of the dumpingdoors.

These objects and various others will be made apparent in the followingspecification and claims taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, in which- Figure 1 is a top plan view of my improvement as itwould appear if the car floor were removed. Fig. 2 is an end elevationpartly in section. Figs. 3 and 4 are views of a modificationcorresponding respectively to Figs. 1 and 2.

The particular embodiment of my invention, which I have illustrated inthe drawings, is adapted to be used with a gondola car having a flatbottom comprising dumping floor sections. The car body is represented bythe reference number 13. There is an opening 14: in the end sill15,-through which access may be had for the purpose of operating thedoors, as will appear from the subsequent description.

One of the dumping floor sections is shown by full lines in closedposition as indicated by the reference numeral 16, and is also shown bydotted lines in its open position as indicated by the same character. Itis hinged longitudinally near the center of the car at 16. On its underside an inclined track 17 is attached, formed of a strap or sheet ofiron. At its outer extremity this track has the short portion 18parallel with the surface of the door 16. Rigidly supported underneaththe car is the transverse inclined track 19 having a level portion 20 atthe outer end thereof. A longitudinal shaft 21 rests upon this andsimilar tracks parallel therewith at different points along the lengthof the car. A chain 22 is attached by one end to the longitudinal shaft21 and after being wrapped more or less about the said shaft its otherend is attached at the point 23 near the outer end of the inclined track19. A lever 24 is mounted on the end of the shaft 21 so as to rotatefreely thereon. This lever carries a pawl 25 which is adapted to engagea ratchet wheel 26, the latter being fixed on the shaft 21.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, a creeper con-- sisting of a plate 27 ofsheet metal, having the general shape of a quadrilateral, is provided.This creeper has a rotatable engage ment at one end thereof with theshaft 21, as shown. Near its opposite end it has a pin 29 in engagementwith a fixed slot 28 in a projecting member, 28 attached to theframework of the car. The creeper 27 has pivoted thereto a dog 80, whichis adapted to engage the ratchet wheel 26.

Assuming that the door is closed, the various moving parts will have thepositions indicated in full lines in Fig. 2. Immediately above the shaft21 is the level portion 18 of the track 17 which is affixed to the underside of the door 16. Thus it will be seen that the door through itsattached track 18 is supported by the shaft 21, which in turn issupported by the level portion 20 of the fixed track 19. Then it isdesired to open the dumping door 16 the dog 30 is thrown over from theposition shown in Fig. 2 to a reverse position. Then by means of thelever arm 24 the shaft is rotated counter-clockwise as viewed in Fig. 2.This movement unwinds the chain 22 from the shaft 21 and permits theshaft by rolling in contact with the track 18 and sliding on the track20 to move toward the center of the car until it passes out from betweensaid opposed tracks 18 and 20. Thereafter the weight of the door 16 andwhatever load may be above it will cause the door to open, the track 17pushing the shaft 21 down the track 19 until finally the moving partswill assume the positions indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2. Duringthis movement the pin 29 on the creeper 27 will slide in the fixed slot28. Whenever it is desired to close the doors 16 from the dottedposition the pawl 25 and the dog 30 are reversed from the positions justdescribed. Then a clockwise movement of the lever 24. winds the shaft 21into the chain 22, thus advancing said shaft upon the inclined track 19.lVhile the lever 24 is being returned to take a fresh stroke, its pawl25 moving idly over the ratchet wheel 26 at this time, the shaft 21 isheld against backward rotation by the dog on the creeper 27 and thecreeper in turn is held against rotation by its pin 29 in engagementwith the fixed slot 28. Finally the shaft 21 will have completely closedthe door and lie on the level part 20 of the inclined track 19, lockedby the dog 30.

It will be observed that I have provided means for shifting thelongitudinal shaft 21 by direct rotation thereof and that I haveprovided means which is adapted to hold the shaft against backwardrotation at any stage. This last named means is the dog 30 which ismounted upon the creeper 27. The latter has a rotatable engagement withthe shaft 21, but is prevented from rotation by also engaging a fixedpart of the car.

Referring to the modification illustrated in Figs. 3 and i, this has ageneral resemblance to the form already described. But the pin and slotconnection for the creeper 27 is replaced by a link 28 which engages thebrackets 28 at the pivotal point 29 and engages the creeper 27 at thepivotal point 29". This modification also has two separate ratchetwheels 26 and 31 fixed on the shaft 21. The ratchet wheel 26 is adaptedto be engaged by the pawl 25 and the ratchet wheel 31 is adapted to beengaged by the pawl 30.

I claim:

1. In a dump car, a door supporting shaft adapted to be reciprocated byrotation thereof, an inclined supporting track for said shaft, a ratchetwheel secured to said shaft, a creeper pivoted to said shaft, a linkpivotally connected to said creeper and to a fixed part of the car, adetent pivotedeto said creeper and adapted to engage said ratchet, andmeans for rotating said shaft.

2. In a dump car, a floor provided with hinged dump doors, a doorsupporting shaft, a ratchet wheel secured to said shaft, an inclinedsupporting track for said shaft, a chain secured to said shaft and to a'fixed part of the car adjacent the. upper end of said track,

creeper and to a fixed partof the car, a detent pivoted to said creeperand adapted to engage said ratchet, and means for rotating said shaft.

In testimony whereof, I have subscribed my name.

FREDERICK SEABERG. lVitnesses ANNIE C. COURTENAY,

LILLIAN A. KIBBY.

a creeper pivotally mounted on said shaft, a link pivotally connected tosaid

